Senior Catholic Persuaded Paedophile Priests to Resign

ABC News
July 24, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-24/senior-catholic-persuaded-paedophile-priests-to/4841914?section=nsw

[with video]

Transcript

TONY JONES, PRESENTER: A senior Catholic Church official has admitted he was willing to risk breaking the law by failing to report cases of clergy sex abuse to police.

Father Brian Lucas told the Special Commission of Inquiry into church sex abuse in Maitland-Newcastle that he'd never betray the trust of a victim if they didn't want to go to police about abuse allegations.

Father Lucas said he'd been tasked with seducing alleged paedophile priests to resign, but took no notes of their confessions.

Emma Renwick reports.

EMMA RENWICK, REPORTER: As a lawyer, a priest and former media advisor, Father Brian Lucas is careful with his words.

Father Lucas was at the forefront of the Catholic Church's process of dealing with paedophile priests in the 1980s and '90s. His special role was convincing them to leave the ministry.

Today Father Lucas told the special inquiry into the cover up of child sexual abuse, "... one had to seduce them into agreeing to resign ...".

EMMA RENWICK: Later, Counsel Assisting asked, "How many of these matters have you dealt with?"

BRIAN LUCAS, AUST. CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE (male voiceover): "Somewhere in the order of 35, give or take a few."

EMMA RENWICK: That was over a six-year period in the early 1990s. But Father Lucas never took notes at any of the meetings with alleged paedophile priests.

FATHER LUCAS (male voiceover): "If you are sitting in front of him taking notes, he wouldn't say anything."

EMMA RENWICK: A speech by Father Lucas titled:: Are Our Archives Safe? An Ecclesial View of Search Warrants was shown to the commission. It was distributed to Church lawyers in 1996 and one of the subheadings was: To Shred or Not to Shred - is That the Question?

Later Counsel Assisting also asked: "Is the real position as to why you didn't want to take any notes that you didn't want it to be disclosed at any subsequent legal process?"

He replied:

BRIAN LUCAS (male voiceover): "That would be a reasonable comment ...".

EMMA RENWICK: The senior Catholic told the inquiry that at least 10 priests had admitted to him acts of abuse against specific victims. Father Lucas never took these allegations to police. He told the inquiry he was working with victims that wanted the matter kept within the Church. He said he'd ensure the priest would resign, severing their trusted relationship with children and families in a congregation.

JULIA LONERGAN (female voiceover): "But he could go to a playground and hand out lollies and continue to be a risk to the community, couldn't he?"

BRIAN LUCAS (male voiceover): "Theoretically that's possible, but it's the relationship of being a priest that generally is the biggest risk."

EMMA RENWICK: Counsel Assisting the Inquiry detailed how one alleged paedophile priest, Father Denis McAlinden, went on to act as a priest overseas long after Father Lucas had convinced him to resign. The Counsel Assisting asked about the value of the public knowing details of paedophile priests.

BRIAN LUCAS (male voiceover): "Well people who see the trial in one place may know something, but on the other side of the country they may not know anything about that trial."

JULIA LONERGAN (female voiceover): "Isn't that always the more reason why a priest shouldn't be cut loose and sent to another location where he can find a fresh batch of children to interfere with?"

BRIAN LUCAS (male voiceover): "No, I wouldn't agree with that proposition at all. I understand the point of the question, it's the nature of the relationship that in our mind was most significant."

EMMA RENWICK: Father Lucas will be cross-examined tomorrow.

Emma Renwick, Lateline.